Machen on Good News

What I need first of all is not exhortation, but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved me. Have you any good news? That is the question that I ask of you. I know your exhortations will not help me. But if anything has been done to save me, will you not tell me the facts?

J Gresham Machen, Christian Faith in the Modern World

On Good news

What good does it do to me to tell me that the type of religion presented in the Bible is a very fine type of religion and that the thing for me to do is just to start practicing that type of religion now? ... I will tell you, my friend. It does me not one tiniest little bit of good. ... What I need first of all is not exhortation, but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved me. Have you any good news? That is the question that I ask of you. I know your exhortations will not help me. But if anything has been done to save me, will you not tell me the facts?"

(Cited in Michael Horton's Trust and Obey, p 40.

From J. Gresham Machen, Christian Faith in the Modern World Macmillan, 1936 p 57)

The Christian Faith in the Modern World

Machen's 1936 book (based on original radio addresses) The Christian Faith in the Modern World can be found here and here